Signature - Q2, 2008 - (Page 11)

2009 with ultra low power devices to follow,” Hughes envisions. “If payers recognize the potential these devices have to reduce the cost of health care, there is a good chance they’ll start to reimburse for them.” At least one government-run health care system is already exploring such opportunities. Most significant is the meaningful difference the technology could make in people’s lives. According to the World Health Organization, hundreds of millions of people have chronic diseases such as hypertension, asthma, diabetes and heart disease – exactly the kinds of conditions that Bluetooth enabled medical devices could monitor cost-effectively. Robert Hughes is senior wireless standards architect for Intel’s Digital Health Group and chairman of the Bluetooth Medical Devices Working Group. He spoke with Eric Schoeniger, a writer specializing in business and technology. A New Integration By Nick Hunn Until now, Bluetooth technology hasn’t been able to address markets with low-power requirements – that is, devices that run off long-life button-cell batteries. The introduction of ultra low power Bluetooth technology to the Bluetooth core specification changes that by enabling things like watches, remote controls (such as electronic car keys) and sensors that can communicate with mobile phones, PCs and a host of other devices. Traditional Bluetooth technology enables applications where you’ve got a regular stream of data (think headsets and computer keyboards), which typically require either a decent-sized battery or one that’s frequently recharged. Ultra low power, on the other hand, is ideal for applications that transfer small amounts of data, such as sensors, thermostats, medical and fitness devices and other products where you either can’t or don’t want to change the battery often (or at all). Because ultra low power Bluetooth wireless technology is being integrated into the new Bluetooth core specification, products qualified to that spec will automatically have ultra low power capabilities. This extension, along with the new secure, simple pairing feature, will transform how we use Bluetooth technology. For example, your mobile phone can act as a gateway for data from other devices. Say I buy a Bluetooth enabled blood pressure meter. I can take it out of the box and immediately pair it with my mobile phone. From that point, every time I use that blood pressure meter it can send my information to my phone, from which it can be automatically forwarded to my health provider. What ultra low power does is allow more devices to be intelligently measured and controlled. The first generation of connectivity was PCs and the second generation was mobile phones. The third generation will be all of those machines that sit around us in our everyday life but so far haven’t really connected to anything. “Ultra low power Bluetooth technology will enable a whole new range of consumer and industrial devices that haven’t been connectible in the past.” — Nick Hunn , Ezurio Ltd. Bluetooth Special Interest Group | 11

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